THE CAPERCAILLIE. 



occasionally be captured by the hand when fighting, although at other times 

 exceedingly shy. The pairing season commences the end of March, and continues 

 till the middle of May. The oldest and strongest males droop their wings like 

 Turkey Cocks, and ruffling up their feathers, utter notes, which Lord Lilford 

 says are impossible to repeat, but which Mr. Lloyd endeavours to describe as 

 follows: "First note, pellep ! pellep ! pellep ! Second note, klickop ! Third note, 

 hede ! licdc ! hcdc ! hede ! The first note, Pellep, called knappingen, (pi. knappingar), 

 is said to resemble the sound of two dry sticks struck together. The second, 

 ' klickop, named kluken, has been likened to a sort of gulp in the throat, the noise 

 made when the tongue is smacked against the palate, or when a cork is drawn 

 out of a bottle. The third, hede, termed sisningen, has been compared to the 

 sucking-in of the breath, as it were, or the sound caused by sharpening an edged 

 tool on a whetstone. The giving utterance to these several notes may altogether 

 occupy from two to three minutes ; and, provided the bird be not in any way 

 disturbed, he almost immediately afterwards commences repeating them, and 

 continues to do so almost without ceasing." 



During this time the bird is so excited and worked up into such a frenzy 

 of passion, that he is quite unconscious of what is passing round him, and may 

 be approached and shot without the slightest difficulty. The hens at the pairing 

 time become equally excited, and will remain at times by the side of the mate 

 that has been shot, so abstractedly as to allow themselves to be taken by the 

 hand. 



After the pairing season, the females retire to the pine forests to construct 

 their nests, which are merely holes scraped in the ground. The period of incuba- 

 tion is about a month ; the young, hatched at the beginning of June, keep with 

 the mother until the approach of winter. The eggs of the Capercaillie are easily 

 hatched in confinement, and the young birds can be readily reared according to 

 the experience of Lord Lilford, but they cannot be kept for any time in an ordinary 

 aviary, as they require an extensive range and a great variety of food. 



